Photos of Fosset Wreckage

[comiso90]

Steve Fossett | 1944-2007 -- chicagotribune.com

I thought it was above the tree line.. evidently not. Quite an impact to dislodge the engine like that.

.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I thought it was above the tree line.. evidently not. Quite an impact to dislodge the engine like that.

Actually that's pretty common. I could tell you by looking at it that it "skipped." Had he went straight in that engine would of had cylinder heads broken off and the crankcase would of crushed like a tin can, although the left bank of cylinders are pretty much sheared at the rocker arm covers. It seems the prop flange is bent and broke but the rest of the engine is pretty much in tact - the round item on the top of the engine is the fuel injection distributor or "spider." Looks like everything firewall forward snapped at the engine mounts.

The round item is a fuel cap.

The etched plate with the aircraft's "N" number on it is found on the top part of the instrument panel.

I also recognize some wing ribs and part of the spar.

 

[comiso90]

Thanks for the insight.
I guess if there is a good angle, it didnt start a forest fire. The coals say there were flames.

.

 

[lesofprimus]

Joe, any reason to think he walked out of the wreckage???

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Joe, any reason to think he walked out of the wreckage???

I don't think he did - I bet if they start looking for DNA they'll find blood splatters and small tissue all over the place. That wreck is pretty munched, I doubt any part of him survived in tact.

 

[Erich]

most likely he hit face in to a wall then his craft is scattered into pieces lying into small needled pines and rocks below. Timberline really is not at 10,000 ft as it is above that in this area with thinned out small pines and plenty of basalt/granite mix

 

[drgondog]

Actually that's pretty common. I could tell you by looking at it that it "skipped." Had he went straight in that engine would of had cylinder heads broken off and the crankcase would of crushed like a tin can, although the left bank of cylinders are pretty much sheared at the rocker arm covers. It seems the prop flange is bent and broke but the rest of the engine is pretty much in tact - the round item on the top of the engine is the fuel injection distributor or "spider." Looks like everything firewall forward snapped at the engine mounts.

The round item is a fuel cap.

The etched plate with the aircraft's "N" number on it is found on the top part of the instrument panel.

I also recognize some wing ribs and part of the spar.

good insight Joe

 

[FLYBOYJ]

good insight Joe

Thanks Bill.

My first job in the aviation business was retrieving wrecks while working at a salvage company. Between 1977 and 1979 got to see quite a few of them.

I also have about 5 hours in Decathlons and Citabrias - I worked at a place that had 4 of them, 2 each.

 

[pbfoot]

Can you tell by the engine or wreck if he was in a climb or not by looking at the pics . IMHO and with respect unless he had no power its pretty hard to have sympathy for hitting ground . Thats why god invented maps and navaids
The Citabtria if I recall my time in it was agile and didn't really lack power and the stall speed isn't all that high

 

[FLYBOYJ]

IMO he did go nose first but as stated the first point of impact snapped the motor mounts. The rest of the wreck looks like an accordion. With the damage to the prop flange it seems the prop was moving when he hit.

There's still a lot of funny things about this - he traveled exactly opposite from where he said he was going. Although the area is mountainous with a lot of turbulence, that airplane with one person on board has a lot of power so unless he got himself boxed into a canyon, I can't see why he crashed.

Personally I think he committed suicide.

 

[ccheese]

Can't understand why he would commit suicide. He was quite weathy,
a famous man, and a family man. Why borrow a plane to kill yourself ?
Didn't the plane belong to the owner of the ranch/airport where he took
off from ?? I agree with Joe, it don't add up. And with no "remains" to
perform an autopsy on, nothing will be certain.

Charles

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Although quite wealthy, he was heavily in debt.

 

[ccheese]

Although quite wealthy, he was heavily in debt.

Attach that to a big insurance policy and you have a reason....

Charles

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I did hear on one report that DNA was found at the crash site. As stated earlier, I doubt there would of been little left of him the way he hit the mountain.

 

[Erich]

attachment to total depression and loss if will to live.............. thats real great for his poor wife in fact if true, pretty darn danged selfish